EMILY KOYAMA - 19 months - Springfield MO

An international kidnapping case with Springfield roots is heating up.
Back in January Springfield native Trina Atwell Chavarria fled to Costa
Rica with her now-18-and-a-half month old daughter.
An international war is being waged over Emily Koyama.
Her mother is charged with felony parental kidnapping.
"So hopefully all of this can be just a bad dream for her."
Roy Koyama says its been a nightmare for him,
one that's taken him into foreign territory.
Koyama's fiance Atwell fled Springfield with their
then-7-month-old daughter Emily, almost exactly one year ago.
"I went into a deep state of depression. It's almost like mourning
a death, because I was in love with my child and deeply in love with
her," Koyama tells us.
Atwell claimed abuse.
"I had protection orders against him, and he violated those by
sending me text messages constantly, sending me emails," Atwell told us
by phone from Costa Rica last month.
Koyama denies those allegations.
So this father embarked on a quest to get his daughter back.
"The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has helped
me out a lot. They actually helped me obtain travel expenses through
the U.S. Department of Justice. They paid for everything for me."
Koyama took his case to Costa Rican court.
When he went to Costa Rica last week he brought along new evidence.
Back in November he asked Greene County to grant him sole custody of Emily.
Since Atwell never showed up in Missouri for a hearing, Koyama won.
Now he's waiting, 5 days for a ruling, and in the meantime,
vacating his mobile home and heading to what he calls a more suitable
home for a child.
"This is the home that Emily and I will be living together in,"
Koyama explains as he shows off the house on Newton Street.
He'll move in mid-February, along with two boys from a previous marriage.
It's the happy family that exists now only in pictures,
and Koyama says that's the real crime.
"I'm innocent of everything except for I'm guilty of being a father
that wants to be with his children, and I'll take that life sentence
because I love my kids."
In five days the judge's decision will determine whether Emily
will stay in Costa Rica or return to the United States.
Both Koyama and Atwell have set up Facebook pages for Emily.
Koyama's allows fans to make direct donations to his attorney to
help cover his legal fees, which he says have been exorbitant.

Family Abduction

EMILY KOYAMA DOB: Jul 5, 2008 Missing: Feb 2, 2009 Age Now: 1 Sex: Female Race: Biracial Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue Height: Unknown Weight: 20 lbs (9 kg) Missing From: SPRINGFIELD MO United States

TRINA ATWELL-CHAVARRIA Abductor DOB: Mar 2, 1979 Sex: Female Race: White Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue Height: 5'2" (157 cm) Weight: 125 lbs (57 kg)

The photo in the center was taken of Emily in September 2009. She was allegedly abducted by her mother, Trina Atwell-Chavarria, on February 2, 2009. A felony warrant for Kidnapping was issued for Trina on February 13, 2009. They are believed to be in Costa Rica. Emily is Biracial. She is Asian and White. Emily has birthmarks on her upper lip and on the back of her head. A portion of Trina's hair is dyed darker than her natural hair color. She has a tattoo on her lower back.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) Greene County Sheriff's Office (Missouri) 1-417-874-1212

Ruling Reversed on Springfield Toddler Involved in Costa Rica Custody Battle

INSIDECOSTARICA.COM | COSTA RICA NEWS | Saturday 24 September 2011

A Springfield, Missouri, toddler whose mother fled with her to Costa Rica two and half years ago was ordered to be returned to the United States. But Costa Rica's highest court has now reversed that ruling.

Costa Rica's highest court has awarded custody of a Springfield child to her mother.

Emily Koyama was born in Springfield where mom Trina Atwell and dad Roy Koyama lived and is the source of a two and half year long international battle, and it's not over- but there is a new ruling.

The pair were engaged, but when Emily was a baby Atwell fled with her to Costa Rica. She claimed Koyama was abusive.

Over the next two and half years though, Koyama proceeded to win every custody court case in Missouri and in Costa Rica - until this one.

Emily Koyama is nothing if not loved. Her mother, from nearby; her father, from afar.

"I have this miracle and her name is Emily, and I never thought I'd have a daughter, and I never thought I'd be able to fall in love with a little girl so much," Koyama told Joanna Small of KSPR news.

It's love that has waged a war after Atwell fled with Emily.

Both Atwell and Koyama, who says grief has since forced him to move closer to relatives in California, skyped KPSR's Small,

"She turned three July 5th and I've never seen one birthday."

Koyama has been fighting to get every birthday. He fought in Greene County where he won custody of Emily despite Atwell's appeals. He also fought in Costa Rica where he won, twice.

"If you can read and have half a bit of logic in your brain you can see clearly she's done wrong," says Koyama.

The highest Costa Rican court doesn't agree. The original ruling has been overturned and Emily never has to return to the United States again.

"Just the fact there was a judge out there that really looked into the best interest of Emily was overwhelming," Atwell says of the ruling.

Koyama is convinced the Greene County decision trumps Costa Rica's. We brought the case to Springfield family law attorney Doug Fredrick.

"The fact that the child was born in Missouri gives Missouri initial jurisdiction. Once that child is relocated to another state or country for six months or more then that creates a very strong case that that country has jurisdiction over that child," Fredrick explains.

That could make Atwell's parental kidnapping charges in the US suddenly moot.

"I had been advised before I left that I had every single legal right to leave with my daughter. I have never thought of myself as a kidnapper; more so what I thought of was a mother protecting the rights of her child," Atwell tells us.

Clearly Emily Koyama is loved; it's the kind of love that changes lives.

"I will never be the same person again ever for the rest of my life; I will never be the same," Koyama concludes.

Koyama says the fight isn't over. He's had the backing of Senator Roy Blunt and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

He's got a next move but isn't ready to talk about it publically yet.

Both Atwell and Koyama have Facebook pages to support their cause.

http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2011/september/24/costarica11092403.htm